101 Amazing Facts About Birds

They are extremely well-adapted to the darkness. Owls vary in size. The largest owls weigh over 10 pounds 4. Small owls normally live for 3 to 7 years while large owls can live for up to 15 years, or even up to 20 years in captivity. However, recent studies show that the owl is more closely related to trogons, mousebirds and falcons. Tyto robusta was a giant owl that lived roughly 5 million years ago in present-day Italy.

It was about 33 inches 84 centimeters long and weighed nearly 20 pounds 9 kilograms. The Cuban giant owl is believed to have been the largest owl ever to exist, measuring 3. Because of its very long legs, it is believed to have been flightless. It lived until roughly years ago. Stilt-owls refer to four species of owls which were abundant on the Hawaiian Islands until roughly years ago. They had long legs and spent more time walking on the ground than flying, hence their name.

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The Andros Island barn owl was also a very tall owl, which lived until the 16 th century on Andros Island in the Bahamas. It is believed to have inspired the legend of the Chickcharney, a mischievous and ugly-looking bird-like dwarf.

According to the legend, if one saw a Chickcharney and treated it well, one would receive good luck, but if one treated it cruelly, the result would be bad luck. The Mauritius owl was the largest carnivore living in Mauritius before the arrival of humans there, measuring about 23 inches It became extinct in , following the destruction of much of its habitat. The laughing owl, which became extinct in the s, got its name from its mischievous-sounding calls, some sounding like the barks of a young dog, others like chattering and still others like whistles.

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It lived in New Zealand where it preyed on seabirds, parakeets and rats. Owls have large, forward-facing eyes just like humans, instead of eyes on the sides of their heads like most other animals. This gives them binocular vision — they can see an object with both their eyes at the same time, giving them better sight. Owls do not have eyeballs. Instead, their eyes are shaped like tubes. Because of this, they cannot move their eyes around, so they move their heads around instead — up to degrees!

Owls can turn their heads in nearly every direction because they have 14 bones in their necks — twice as many as we do. They also have special arteries that keep blood flowing to their brains even when their necks are twisted. Owls are far-sighted animals. This means that they can see things from as far as a mile 1.

Owls can see very well at night, not just because of their large eyes or their large number of very sensitive rod cells, which are responsible for seeing in low light, but also because they have special nerves in their eyes which give them far better night vision than their prey has. One set is used for blinking, one is for closing their eyes when they are sleeping and one is for keeping their eyes clean and healthy. Owls have vividly colored eyes, a contrast to their dull feathers which keep them camouflaged, making their eyes pop out even more.

Some owls have orange eyes while others have yellow, green or even red eyes. While most animals have ears that are on the same place on either side of their heads so it looks like they mirror each other, owls have ears in different positions of their skulls, so one ear may be higher than the other. This helps them to pinpoint where their prey is.

Some owls have ear tufts, or bunches of feathers around their ears. In fact they work so well that the sound is magnified tenfold! While owls have excellent senses of sight and hearing, they do not have a good sense of smell. They have tiny nostrils on their beaks but they use these mostly for breathing and not for sniffing. Owls are very silent creatures. Because they only need to move their heads and not their bodies, they can be very quiet while perched. They are also capable of flying silently. They can do this because their flight feathers have a velvety covering and sawlike edges, muffling the sound of their wing beats.

The Speedy and Calm Flying of Owl by luc. Owls have zygodactyl feet. This means that they have two toes pointing forward and two pointing back, which allows them to keep a powerful grip on their prey. Like other birds of prey, owls have powerful talons. Some have a release force of up to Owls have short beaks that are curved downward. These move in a scissoring motion in order to tear their prey to pieces.

Owls have small, specialized feathers on their beaks and feet, called filoplumes. Owls are birds of prey, which means they are hunters. Most owls eat rodents, insects, frogs and small reptiles, while some eat fish and small birds. A rare few are even known to eat smaller owls. Although they normally go after small prey, bigger owls have been known to take large prey, such as adult monkeys, other large birds of prey, warthogs, foxes and even young deer and wolves.

Owls have two hunting methods. One is the perch-and-pounce method, where the owl sits on a branch waiting for prey, and when it sees it, swoops down to grab and kill it. The other method is called quartering, where the owl looks for prey while in flight, then plucks it from the ground, air or water. Owls can locate prey buried under the snow or deep under the ground using their keen sense of hearing. Like other birds, owls cannot digest bones, fur, feathers or teeth.

These gather in their gizzards and once a day, they throw these up in the form of a pellet. Owls do not have elaborate courtship rituals. The males simply chase females in flight or give mating calls, which the females answer. Some males have been observed to bring freshly caught prey to females as an offering. Some mate for life while others have one mate per breeding season or for several seasons. Couple by Marie Hale cc2. Owls are not nest builders. Instead, they look for abandoned nests or they drive other birds away from their nests. Once they find a good nest, they stick with it and use it for many years.

Owls can lay as many as 13 eggs in one clutch, though some have only one. They can have two or more clutches per year. The Small Clutch of Barn Owl by rebonnett cc2. The average incubation period for an owl is 33 days. The female owl does all the incubation by herself while the male feeds her, leaving the nest only to drink.

After they hatch, owlets beg their parents loudly for food. Both parents bring food to the nest until the owlets are large enough to leave it, usually when they are around two months old. In spite of their capability to be very silent, owls can also make various sounds, especially to announce their territory or to attract mates. Some sounds are so loud they can be heard over a mile 1. Hoot of the True Owl by Luis Alves cc2. Contrary to popular belief, not all owls hoot and even those that do can produce other sounds, such as screeching, hissing, barking or whistling.

Owls can also communicate using their postures or their ear tufts. They can straighten their necks, fluff their feathers and snap their bills when they are threatened and ready to attack.

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The barn owl or the common barn owl is the most widely distributed owl species, found all over the world except in polar and desert regions. Its heart-shaped face and piercing black eyes give it a distinct and often startling appearance, which, together with its ear-shattering screams, have made it a symbol of ill omen. Barn owls mate for life and live in pairs, occupying open grasslands and farmlands where they feed on mostly rodents. A pair of barn owls and their young can eat more than rodents a year.

In fact, they consume more rodents than any other animal. The burrowing owl is one-of-a-kind, being the only owl that burrows instead of nests. Because of this, it spends more time on the ground than any other owl. Burrowing owls can make their own burrows as long as the ground is soft enough, though they will usually use abandoned burrows.

They surround the entrances to their burrows with dung, which not only masks the scent of their young but also attracts insects for food. Burrowing owls are the only owls to live in groups when nesting. This is not always a good thing, though, because when food is scarce, burrowing owls steal owlets from other nests to feed to their own. Parliament of Burrowing Owls by kevincole cc2. Interestingly, though burrowing owls live close to ground squirrels, they rarely eat them. Instead, they hunt mice, geckos, frogs and sometimes, eared doves, which weigh just the same as they do.

Burrowing owls are occasional cannibals. When food is very scarce, they have been spotted visiting a neighbouring owl burrow and stealing chicks to eat! The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest owls, with females weighing over 9 pounds 4 kilograms and growing up to 30 inches 76 centimeters long — the same height as a human one-year-old child. It has bright orange eyes and when threatened, raises the feathers on its neck to form a mane, making it look even more intimidating. Eurasian Eagle-owl by Maxwell Hamilton cc2.

Female Eurasian eagle-owls have high-pitched calls while males have deep calls. Each bird has a unique call by which they can be identified in captivity. Most of the time, Eurasian eagle-owls go after mice, rats, rabbits and hares, but they can take animals larger than themselves such as fully-grown foxes and young deer that weigh up to 37 pounds They have also been known to kill venomous snakes.

The spot-bellied eagle-owl has large, slanting ear tufts and is known for its human-sounding call. Spotted Eagle-Owl by Kradlum cc2. The spotted eagle-owl is often seen swallowing its prey whole, which it tries to do as much possible, sometimes with its head jerking or with occasional pauses. Long-eared owls use their ear tufts to make them appear larger than other birds.

They are the only owls to roost collectively, usually during winter to help keep each other warm. Eared Owl by winnu cc2. Short-eared owls look much like long-eared owls except for their barely visible ear tufts and their yellow irises. They lay only one clutch per year but can have as many as 12 eggs if voles, their main prey, are abundant. Earless owls belong to the genus Strix. They do not have ear tufts and are commonly found in forests, which is why they are also known as wood owls.

The barred owl is a large owl native to North America and the only true owl on the continent to have brown eyes instead of yellow. It gets its name from the horizontal bars on its chest and the vertical bars on its belly. Barred Owl by ralph and jenny cc2. The great gray owl is the tallest owl, measuring 33 inches 84 centimeters tall. It also has the largest facial disc and the longest tail of all owls. At first glance, it looks quite robust but in truth, it is very light: Great gray owls can hear prey moving 2 feet 61 centimeters under the snow.

The spotted owl is one of the most common owls in North America, found in evergreen and hardwood forests. Some populations are migratory, migrating to parts of Mexico during winter then returning to western United States to breed. It lays only one to three eggs per clutch and adults can live up to 17 years. Because most parrots look for nests rather than make them, competition for nesting sites can be fierce, both within species and between species, and among both males and females.

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Unfortunately, this competition often affects breeding rates — the fiercer the competition, the lower the breeding rates. The paired parrots help each other to build or prepare the nest. In some cases, they take turn incubating the eggs, too, keeping them warm. However, most of the time, it is the female who stays in the nest while the male brings her food.

All parrot eggs are white, with smaller species having smaller eggs. Smaller eggs also hatch faster, in as short as two weeks while larger eggs can take over a month before they hatch. Like other birds, newborn parrots have their eyes open but have only a thin coat of feathers. Depending on the species, they can spend as little as three weeks or as long as four months in the nest, receiving care from both parents. Parrots are considered some of the most intelligent birds, along with crows, ravens and jays.

Many scientists attribute this to the fact that they have large brains in proportion to their bodies, with the ratio being nearly the same as that in primates. Many parrots can imitate human speech and other sounds, but only in captivity, the reason for which remains unknown. Since parrots do not have vocal cords, they make these imitation sounds by expelling air from their windpipes, changing the depth and shape of their windpipes to produce different kinds of sounds. Parrots have also shown excellent problem-solving ability, and some are able to use tools. Interestingly, parrots who can imitate a lot of sounds also score higher in problem-solving tests.

African grey parrots are the most intelligent of parrots. One African grey parrot, in particular, named Alex, could identify 50 different objects, seven colors and five shapes from memory, as well as count up to six objects and understand the concept of zero. He had a vocabulary of words and understood the meaning of many of them. Sadly, he died in at the age of 31, before he could reach his full potential. In , a study by a French university showed that African grey parrots could work together to solve a problem. For example, they could pull strings at the same time to get food or one would press a button to release a food tray while another got the food tray.

African grey parrots are the only parrots which have been observed to imitate the calls of other birds in the wild. Tinmeh African grey parrots learn to speak or mimic sounds just before they reach two years of age, while Congo African grey parrots start a little later, at two or three years of age. Pet African grey parrots have been observed to mimic electronic sounds, as well as the sound of dripping water. In one experiment, four African grey parrots were placed inside a room with a lot of noise, for three years. During that time, they were able to make 50, different sounds.

Amazon parrots are parrots of the genus Amazona which can be found in South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. They are usually mostly green with colorful accents and have rather short, square tails. Next to African grey parrots, Amazon parrots have been observed to be the most likely to mimic sounds, including human speech. They have even been observed to imitate humans singing. Amazon parrots have a distinct odor, which according to veterinarians, is produced by their respiratory system and is strongest near their bills. This odor is not unpleasant. Rather, many of those who have smelled it say the scent makes them feel at ease.

Three species of Amazon parrots — the red-spectacled Amazon, yellow-lored Amazon and white-fronted Amazon — are some of the few parrot species in which male adults can be visually distinguished from females, with males having more red feathers on their shoulders or in the bend of their wings. This is because they tend to become aggressive as they mature, often biting their owners. While the bills of these Amazon parrots are not strong enough to break fingers, they can leave deep, painful cuts.

The black-billed Amazon is the smallest of the Amazon parrots at only 10 inches It is also one of the most distinct Amazon parrots because of its black bill. During flight, it makes a call like the sound of a bugle, while it makes growling and rumbling sounds at the perch. The imperial Amazon is the largest of the Amazon parrots, measuring up to 19 inches 48 centimeters long and weighing nearly two pounds 0.

Imperial Amazon pairs are very faithful to each other, mating for life. In many cases, when one dies, the other grieves to death instead of looking for a new mate. The mealy Amazon is also a large Amazon parrot, and often, the largest Amazon parrot kept as a pet, growing up to 16 inches Its name comes from the fact that its wings appear to have been covered by a thin layer of flour, also known as meal.

The Puerto Rican Amazon is one of the rarest parrots today, with only about 80 birds remaining in the wild, as of It is known for its bright blue flight feathers, red forehead and white-ringed eyes. The Saint Vincent Amazon is one of the most colorful parrots. Its head is yellowish white, blue and green while its feathers are a mixture of green, bronze, blue, orange and yellow. Young birds have brown eyes while adults have reddish eyes. The budgerigar, or budgie, is the only species in its genus. They are the most popular pet parrots, mainly due to their small size — only up to 7 inches Male and female budgerigars can be distinguished by the color of their cere — the part of the bill nearer the head — with males having royal blue ceres and females having white or brown.

Females normally have white ceres but these turn brown when they are laying eggs. While many parrots have a breeding season, budgerigars are opportunistic breeders, which means they breed whenever conditions are favorable, for example when there is plenty of rain and in turn, plenty of food. Females lay between 4 and 8 eggs — more than most parrots — laying one every other day or every two days.

Puck, a male budgerigar, holds the world record for being the parrot with the largest vocabulary — words! He was awarded the record in , a year after his death. He also provided the inspiration for a new opera which was performed in Caiques are relatively small and stocky parrots in the genus Pionites. They are considered among the most beautiful parrots because of their bright colors. Caiques have an unusual social system among parrots. They live in a clan of up to ten related families in a single tree and when one of them fights, all the rest join in.

They can have several friends among the clan, as well as a few enemies, both of which relationships are long-lasting. In captivity, they rub against the carpet or towels. Black-headed caiques are also known for something other than their feathers. They are known for being good dancers, hopping and swaying when they hear music or clapping. Cockatoos are fairly large parrots that can be found in Asia, Australia and some islands in the Pacific.

They are distinguished by their showy headcrests which they raise when landing from flight, during breeding or when they are threatened. Apart from their crests, cockatoos have two characteristics that set them apart from other parrots. As a result of this lack of Dyck texture, cockatoos have a lighter, duller appearance than other parrots. Cockatoos are fast flyers. While most parrots fly at an average of 15 to 25 miles 24 to 40 kilometers per hour, cockatoos can fly over 40 miles 64 kilometers per hour and can stay in the air for a long time.

Cockatoos are highly social, living in flocks whether they are nesting, traveling or looking for food. Strangely, the flocks are larger during times when food is scarce, numbering up to 32, Most cockatoos can be very noisy. This is because their vocalizations are made to be heard by the entire flock. All cockatoos have also been observed to make a hissing sound when threatened.

Cockatoos love to bathe. They do this by hanging upside down when it is raining or by flying out in the rain. They can also flutter through the wet leaves of the forest canopy. Most cockatoos make their nests in tree cavities, lining the holes with sticks, wood chips and leaves.

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Females normally lay two eggs, but usually only the first chick survives, with the second one dying because of neglect. Black cockatoos are the only cockatoos to have elaborate courtship displays. Male red-tailed black cockatoos court females by hiding their beaks, puffing up their crests and cheek feathers, singing, strutting and finally, flashing their red tail feathers. Male yellow-tailed black cockatoos have pinkish rings around their eyes, which have been observed to turn bright red when they are aggressive.

Females have grey eye rings and brighter yellow patches on their cheeks. The cockatiel is the smallest member of the cockatoo family, being only 13 inches 33 centimeters long and weighing just 3. It is the second most popular pet parrot, after the budgerigar.

The cockatiel is originally yellow and gray, but those bred in captivity have a wide range of colors, including white and cinnamon. Cockatiels are particularly expressive with their crests, which are upright when they are excited and flattened when they are angry. The gang-gang cockatoo is known for its distinctive call, which sounds like a cork being pulled from a wine bottle. In this species, males are very easy to distinguish from females since they have red crests. Females have smaller, grey crests. Young little corellas are very playful.

The palm cockatoo is the largest cockatoo and largest parrot in Australia, growing up to 2 feet 0. It also has the second-largest bill among parrots, which it uses to eat very hard nuts and seeds. Palm cockatoos are known for their drumming behavior. They break off sticks up to 6 inches 15 centimeters long and beat them against trees, creating a loud noise that can be heard more than feet The reason for this behavior remains a mystery. Some say this is the way male palm cockatoos announce their territories and female palm cockatoos assess how fit a tree is for nesting.

Palm cockatoos have the lowest breeding rate of all parrots, laying just a single egg every other year. They can live long, though, up to 90 years! Conures are New World parrots that are slightly larger than parakeets, known for their long tails and small beaks. The golden conure, or Queen of Bavaria conure, is named for its bright yellow feathers. It is unique among parrots in that pairs have several helpers in raising and guarding the young, especially from toucans who like to prey on the nestlings.

Of all the parrot species, no males and females can be as easily told apart as eclectus parrots. Males are emerald green while females are bright red with streaks of blue or purple. Eclectus parrots have longer digestive tracts than other parrots. Because of this, they require a diet that is high in fiber, eating mostly fruits, like grapes, apples and melons, and green, leafy vegetables. Unlike other parrots, female eclectus parrots have several mates every breeding season — up to five, in fact. While the female stays in the nest, the males take turns bringing her food, competing for her affections and for the right to father the chicks when the eggs hatch.

Female eclectus parrots have a strong maternal instinct, willingly incubating other eggs and raising chicks from other species. However, strangely, they have also been observed to kill their male chicks when they have two, letting the females survive. It is also the only flightless parrot, using its strong legs to climb trees and to jog on the ground instead of flying. Unlike other flying birds, it can store a lot of fat as an energy reserve. Kakapos have a keen sense of smell, which helps them find food in the dark. They are even able to tell different types of food just by their smell.

Kakapos have beaks that are made for grinding food, and as a result, have smaller gizzards than other birds. When eating leaves, they have a habit of consuming only the nutritious parts, leaving behind a ball of fiber. The breeding system of the kakapo is called the lek. Afterward, the female leaves to nest while the male continues to try to attract as many other females as he can. Kakapos are very long-lived, with some living up to years. However, this is offset by the fact that few kakapos take very long to mature — males take 5 years while females do not usually take a mate until they are 9 years old — as well as the fact that few kakapo eggs actually hatch, many of them eaten by predators when the mother leaves in search of food at night.

Like the kakapo, the kea is a parrot found only in New Zealand. In particular, it is found on the South Island of New Zealand and as such, is the only alpine parrot in the world. Keas are known for their curiosity. They often come near cars, backpacks and even pairs of boots, investigating and flying off with any interesting item they can find — one man reported that his passport was stolen by a kea. Keas are also regarded as very intelligent. They are the only parrots known to use tools in the wild and in captivity, can solve logical puzzles.

Some of the sheep live but some die due to infection of the wounds. Lories and lorikeets are parrots of the tribe Lorini.